The Transfer Tavern

Marco Silva should unleash Ademola Lookman against West Ham

Everton prepare to face West Ham United at Goodison Park today and Marco Silva will be hoping to pour further misery onto Manuel Pellegrini by inflicting a 5th straight league defeat.

It’s been a thoroughly miserable opening to the new season for the Hammers following a summer transfer window which evoked a feeling of genuine optimism that had been absent from the club since they arrived at the London Stadium in 2016.

Meanwhile, Everton’s own summer spending spree has enabled them to make an unbeaten start to the season but they have only managed to claim 3 points on one occasion so far.

Marco Silva will want to see his side translate a positive performance into 3 points against the rock-bottom visitors, and he would be wise to focus on launching an offensive strategy to prise West Ham apart.

Pellegrini’s defensive unit has looked incredibly vulnerable when quick players have taken a direct approach: goals from Adama Traore and Callum Wilson at the London Stadium served to illuminate their vulnerability when faced with direct speedsters.

With that to consider, Silva would be wise to hand Ademola Lookman his first start of the season today in order to bolster Everton’s threat in the final-third.

After enjoying a tremendous loan spell at RB Leipzig last season, Lookman flirted with the possibility of returning to the Bundesliga during the summer transfer window but weeks of speculation eventually led to nothing.

Although his relationship with some supporters has been tarnished by the summer saga, it’s time for everybody involved with the Toffees to move on and get behind their incredibly promising young talent.

With Richarlison ruled out through suspension, there is an opportunity for Lookman to step into the Brazilian’s shoes on the left side of midfield and prove Silva has more than one devastating young talent at his disposal.

If Lookman (valued at £10.8 million by Transfermarkt) is given the vote of confidence to start against West Ham it will do wonders for his confidence and, in turn, he should be able to utilise his dazzling dribbling ability to make it another afternoon to forget for the travelling side.